Kinki Softball Little League to represent Asia-Pacific at 2026 Little League Softball World Series. Jun 16, 2026 Kinki Softball Little League from Sangō, Japan, will represent the Asia-Pacific Region at the 2026 Little League Softball World Series, Presented by DICK'S Sporting Goods, after securing a best-of-three series win over the Philippines to claim the regional championship, according to a June 16 announcement. This marks Japan's second consecutive appearance at the event. In 2025, Tohoku Little League became Japan's inaugural representative in the tournament and finished with one win and two losses. The team was recognized for its positivity and excitement off the field by receiving the 2025 Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award. Japan began chartering softball through Little League International in 2025 and has hosted the regional tournament for two years. Before this development, teams from the Philippines were typically selected as representatives for Asia-Pacific since 1996 - with Guam making an appearance in 2009 - including a third-place finish by the Philippines at Greenville in 2022. Softball is already established as a major women's sport in Japan. The country's Olympic team won gold medals most recently in both 2008 and 2020. Since 2018, participation has increased globally due to initiatives like the Little League Girls with Game Initiative. The upcoming World Series will also feature an AUSL Pro Game event in Greenville during August 2-9, where Olympic gold medalists Natasha Watley and Lisa Fernandez will serve as head coaches. Official schedules and visitor information are available on LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries.

Dick's SG to open Lids in-store shops. June 15, 2026 Dick's Sporting Goods announced a new partnership with Lids to introduce dedicated Lids shop locations inside Dick's stores nationwide. The collaboration is currently available at 46 Dick's locations and will be in more than 100 Dick's stores by late summer 2026. Dick's ended the first quarter with 721 Dick's locations Each Lids shop will "feel immersive with the Lids-brand" and include fixtures and merchandising showcasing Lids' extensive assortment of licensed and lifestyle headwear. Dick's said the partnership expands access to licensed headwear while creating a unique in-store experience for customers. "Our athletes are increasingly looking for new ways to rep their favorite teams, their style and the latest trends," said David Progar, SVP, licensed at Dick's. "By partnering with Lids, a leader in licensed headwear, we'll be able to offer them more choices to meet their needs for sport, lifestyle and fandom." "Lids has long been the leader in licensed headwear, and this partnership allows us to bring that expertise directly into Dick's stores across the country," said Lids Chairman Lawrence Berger. "Together, we're creating a dedicated destination within Dick's where fans can find the most comprehensive assortment of team headwear and a new in-store experience." In addition to product assortment, the two companies will collaborate on in-store product training for Dick's store associates and visual merchandising. Dick's locations where Lids shops are currently available include: * Cerritos, California * Daly City, California * Torrance, California * Broomfield, Colorado * Lakewood, Colorado * Christiana, Delaware * Miami, Florida * Tampa, Florida * Kennesaw, Georgia * Niles, Illinois * Castleton, Indiana * Greenwood, Indiana * Baton Rouge, Louisiana * Lafayette, Louisiana * Hunt Valley, Maryland * Boston, Massachusetts * Danvers, Massachusetts * Grandville, Michigan * Woodbury, Minnesota * Richfield, Minnesota * Nashua, New Hampshire * Salem, New Hampshire * Rockaway, New Jersey * Woodbridge, New Jersey * Latham, New York * Bay Shore, New York * Huntington, New York * Johnson City, New York * Orchard Park, New York * West Nyack, New York * Yonkers, New York * South Park, North Carolina * Columbus, Ohio * Dayton, Ohio * Lyndhurst, Ohio * Toledo, Ohio * Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * Tulsa, Oklahoma * Cranberry Twp, Pennsylvania * Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania * Ross Park, Pennsylvania * Austin, Texas * Baybrook, Texas * Cedar Park, Texas * Prosper, Texas * San Antonio, Texas Lids Sports Group also operates licensed "Locker Room by Lids" departments inside select Macy's stores and online at Macy's. It operates more than 2,000 stand-alone retail locations across North America, Europe and Australia under the Lids, Locker Room by Lids, Fanzz, Yankees Clubhouse Shops, Dodgers Clubhouse and numerous other nameplates, including official NBA and NHL team stores. Fanatics is the majority owner of Lids. Image courtesy Lids Sports